Sheet-registering mechanism.



.l. R.BLA|NE.

SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED was 23. 1915.

,3Q0,563 I Patented Apr. 15,1919,.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

5026706 66 1 Ira/67%? Jse a z J. R. BLAINE.

SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1916.

9 1 O0. 1 #0 1H 2 D An E M m an t a D1 v iwerzfor Jasepjzazabw JOSEPH R. BLAINE, 01! OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MIEHLE PRINTING PRESS & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHEET-REGISTERING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 23, 1916. Serial No. 105,324.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH R. BLAINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak .Park, in the county of Cook and State tionary gages or guides, so that during the travel of the paper it is necessarily stopped in its movement, at least momentarily, to secure the desired registration. In such cases the inertia of the paper must be instantly overcome when the grippers of the impression cylinder, which are constantly traveling at full speed, grasp the sheet and transfer it to the cylinder. As will be appreciated, in a structure of that character the gages and grippers must operate with great precision to secure registration of the sheet and its transfer or clamping to the rapidly traveling impression cylinder. In other words, when a sheet of paper is gaged and gripped in a press of this kind the stationary sheet has instantaneously imparted to it the full speed of travel of the impression cylinder periphery, which renders accurate registration difficult if not impossible. Moreover, an instant before the grippers close, the guides must get out of the Way,

leaving the sheet uncontrolled during this instant, affording a further chance for error in getting accurate register.

The present invention has for its primary object the provision of means for securing accurate front and side registration of sheets fed to a printing couple, without stopping the sheet in its forward movement and at substantially the speed,of the sheet taking grippers and the impression cylinder, whereby the full speed capacity of the press isutilized without its being limited in any way by the necessary registering process, While the correct registry of the sheet is in no way impaired by the speed of sheet travel. I

This object is accomplished according to my invention by providing a rotary-sheet registering mechanism including gages traveling at the same speed as the grlppers on the im pression cylinder and also including .elec-.

trically operated means for frictionally seizing the front of the sheet at the point of delivery by the sheet feeder approximately adjacent the front gage and advancing the sheet to the said gage; also for similarly engaging the side of the sheet and drawing it laterally to a side gage traveling with the sheet; and thereafter releasing the sheet an instant after the same has been taken by the grippers on the impression cylinder,the sheet registering mechanism and the grippers traveling in arcs approaching a point at which the path of the sheet is tangent to each whereby the front gage moves in its orbit into the path of the sheet as fed, and

after the sheet is registered and is seized by the grippers of the impression cylinder moves out of the sheet path to enable the sheet to pass on with the impression cylinder without interruption or interference.

In order that a complete understanding of the invention and more or less ofthe details of construction of a preferred embodiment of the invention may be fully understood, I have illustrated in a more or less fragmentary and diagrammatic manner one desirable embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and to which reference should be made. It is clear,-however, that the invention may be embodied in other and varied constructional forms without departure from the essence thereof, wherefore the drawing and description are to betaken in an illustrative rather than in an unnecessarily limiting sense.

Figure l is a detail view in front elevation of the mechanism for imparting front register;

Fig. 2 is a similar view in side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l but illustrating the mechanism for imparting side register; and

Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. 2 showing the mechanism for imparting side register in side elevation.

F rant register.

Having reference to the drawings (Figs. 1, and 2) the impression cylinder is indicated at 13 provided with its grippers 14, while adjacent and in parallel relation thereto is suitably mounted in the frame of Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

the press a shaft 15 driven at a speed core responding with that of the shaft of the im- 17 bears cams 20 and 21, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

Loosely mounted upon said boss 16 of the arm 16 is a gage arm 22 carrying thefront gage 23 and having projecting therefrom lugs 24, 25 to the former of which is fulcrumed by the pivot 26 an angle lever 27,

28, while the lug 25 serves as a mounting for a swivel block 29 screw threaded for en- .gagement by a screw 30 mounted within a similar swivel block 31 and having a milled head 32. Fulcrumed on the gage arm 22 by the pivot 33 is an angle lever 34, 35. The

- arm 28- of the first mentioned angle lever carries a roller 36 adapted to travel on the cam 20 while the arm- 34 of the other angle lever carries a roller 37 adapted to travel on the cam 21.

To the arm 27 of the first angle lever is connected by means of a pin 38 and a slot 39 an arcuate shoe 40 extending laterally from another arm 41 which is likewise loosely mounted upon the boss 16*. To the extreme front end of the shoe'40 is pivoted at 42 by means of a link 43.and a second pivot 44 the lower end 45 of a rod 46 which latter is pivoted at 48 in the outer end of the arm 35 of the second angle lever. The link 43 has projecting beyond its pivot 42 a flipper49, the purpose of which will hereinafter be made clear. A spring 50' serves to 'hold the roller 36 against its cam while a similar spring 51 serves the same purpose with reference to the roller 37 It should be understood that the shaft 15 extends the full width of the press and that a counterpart of the mechanism above described is mounted upon the said shaft 15 and therod 19 near the two sides of the press,

that is to say separated a distance slightly less than the width of the paper to be fed, so that a front gage is provided for effect- .ing register of the sheets at the front edge and adjacent each side. The bosses 16 are slidable longitudinally upon the shaft 15 so as to properly'position the two registering mechanisms in order to act upon the sheet at the proper point. The position of each having been determined, the, arm 16 is clamped upon theshaft 15 in an obvious manner. The knurled head 32 of the screw 30 is then manipulated in order to position the gage arms 22 of the two mechanisms in exact transverse alinement and in position longitudinally to effect the proper front register of the sheet.

Mounted upon the "stationary collar 17 of each registering mechanism isan arm 52 carrying contact blades 53, 54, connected by the leads 53 54 with the poles of a battery, not shown, which blades are arranged to be wiped over by the brushes 55, 56 mounted on the revolving arm 22, the said brushes being connected by means of leads- 55, 56 with the electromagnet 57 disposed immediately to the rear of the front gage and flush with the lower face of the shoe 40.

The press being in motion, the gage arm 22 revolves and carries with it the front gage 23 at a peripheral speed corresponding exactly to that of the grippers upon the impression cylinder by reason of its being tied to the arm 16 by means of the screw 30." The angle levers 27, 28, and 35, 36 likewise revolve, with the arm. 22, being fulcrumed thereto respectively at 26 and 33.

As the sheet 58 is fed to thepress its front edge comes against the front gages 23 or approximately in that position, usually ter acts on the flipper 49 as an armature pulling the same up against the lower face I of the sheet and thus frictionally gripping the same between the flipper and the lower face of the shoe 40, the degree of said pressure being regulable by the strength of the current.

Immediately thereafter the roller 36 rid-' the flipper 49 with the magnet 57 relatively to the gage 23, the gage traveling at the speed of the grippers and the shoe 40 at a slightly greater speed by reason of the action of the lever. The sheet'thus gripped at its forward edge between the flipper 49 and the shoe 40 is likewise advanced until it comes in contact with the gage 23 whereupon meeting with this obstruction the sheet conforms to the speed of the gage while the shoe 40 continues to move at a faster speed. The front gage 23 continues its movement at the speed of the grippers on the impression cylinder, the sheet being held against the shoe 40 and abutting the gage 23 by the flipper 49 until the grippers on the impression cylinder. have gripped the forward end and the grippers 14 can both be acting on the sheet at thetangent point, and in fact an instant later. During the next oneeighth inch travel of the cylinder beyond the tangent point, the shoe 40 has moved the flipper forward out from under the sheet so that the latter is left free to continue its path on the impression cylinder. The roller 37 then clears the high part of cam 21 and the flipper 49 is opened by the action of the spring 51 and is then ready to receive the next sheet as it comes into position. Similarly roller 36 clears the high part of cam 20 and spring 50 restores the lever to its original position with the shoe 4O retracted as indicated, ready for the next cycle.

Side register.

Upon the shaft 15 outside the two mechanisms for effecting front register of the sheet as above described, is a similar organization of mechanism for effecting side register of the sheet (Figs. 3 and 4). Herein the side gage arm is keyed to the shaft 15 by means of an extended boss 60, and a similar collar 17 is loosely mounted upon the boss 60 and held in stationary position by means of the arm 18 embracing as before the shaft 19. This collar is provided with a cam 61 in one plane and another cam 62 in a different plane. The side gage arm 60 carries the side gage 64, the position of which is adjustable transversely of the press and longitudinally of the shaft 15 by means of the adjusting screw 65 journaled in the collar 66 clamped to the shaft 15, and threaded in the lug 67 on the boss 60 the screw being operable by means of its knurled head for positioning of the gage 64, after which the arm 60 is clamped in position upon the shaft by means of the clamp screw 68.

Transversely slidable within the gage arm 60 is a shoe 69 carrying a roller 70 which works within an oblique slot 71 of an angle lever 72, 73, the opposite arm of which lever has a roller 74 arranged to travel upon the cam 61. The other end of the shoe 69 opposite the roller 70 has pivoted thereto at 75 an arm 76 connected by means of a rod 77 with a link- 78 pivoted at 79 to the shoe 69, which link 78 is extended to form a flipper 80. A coil spring 81 holds the stop 82 of the arm 76 against shoe 69. The angle lever 72;. 73 is fulcrumed to the gage arm 60 upon a pivot 85, and similarly pivoted to saidarm at 86 is an angle lever 87, 88, the arm 88 of which is provided with a roller 89 arranged to ride upon the cam 62, while the opposite arm 87 of said lever has an. offset portion provided with an inclined face 90 adapted to engage the arm 7 6Whereby to open and close the flipper 80.

Mounted on the stationary collar 17 is an arm 91 carrying contact blades 92, 93 connected by leads 92 93 with the poles of a battery, not shown, which blades are arranged to be wiped over-by the brushes 94, 95, mounted on the revolving arm 60, the said brushes being connectedby leads 94, 95 with the electromagnet 96 disposed immediately adjacent the side gage 64 and flush with the lower face of the shoe 69.

In use the flipper is normally approximately closed, being held in this position by the tension of the spring 81. As the sheet is approachedapproximately to the gage 23 for front register as previously described the cam roller 89" rides upon the cam 62 opening the flipper 80 to allow the side edge of the sheet to pass and to offer no hindrance to the action-of the frontregister. Front register having been obtained the roller 89 rides off the cam 62 closing the flipper 8O loosely upon the sheet 58 at the side thereof. The pivotal connection between the rod 77 and the link 78 is such as to provide sufficient lost motion to prevent any gripping of the sheet by the flipper 80, but substantially at the moment of the closing of the flip-per, the brushes 94, 95 having reached the contact blades 92, 93, the magnet 96 is energized and acts on the flipper 80 as an armature pulling the same up against the lower face of the sheet and frictionally gripping the sheet between the flipper and the lower face of the shoe 69, the degree of friction being slightly greater than that of the front register flippers.

Shortly thereafter the roller 74 rides upon the cam 61 bringing the oblique slot 71 to bear through the roller 70 upon the shoe 69, drawing the sheet 58 to' the left, as shown in Fig. 3, against the side gage 64, the flipper sliding upon the sheet during the further lateral movement of the flipper and shoe after the side registration of the sheet.

At the moment the grippers close on the sheet, the flipper 80 still has hold of the sheet and during the next one-eighth inch of travel of the cylinder, the flipper draws out from under the sheet and allows it to pass freely with the impression cylinder. The flipper then remains open, the magnet being deenergized, until the next cycle starts.

After the sheet is taken the roller 74 rides off of high part of cam 61 bringing the shoe 69 back to its starting position.

I claim:

1. The combination of means for imparting front register to a sheet fed to a printing couple having grippers without interrupting the forward movement of the sheet, comprising a front gage mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers in a curved path into and out of the sheet path, a revoluble sheet clamping device traveling normally with the gage, means to actuate the clamping device to seize the sheet, and means to temporarily accelerate the speed of the clamping device to advance the sheet to the gage, the clamping device comprislng a shoe couple having grippers without interrupting the forward movement of .the sheet, comprising a front gage mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers in a curved path into and out of the sheet path, a revoluble sheet clamping device traveling normally with the gage, means to actuate the clamping device to seize the sheet, and means to temporarily'accelerate the speed of the clamping device to advance the sheet to the gage, the clamping device comprising a shoe movable toward and from the gage and a flipper hinged to the forward end of the shoe, mechanical means to approximately close the flipper, and electro-magnetic means to press the flipper upon the sheet to hold the latter against the shoe.

3. The combination of means for imparting front register to a sheet fed to a printing couple having grippers without interrupting the forward movement of the sheet, comprising a front gage mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers in a curved path into and out of the sheet path,'a revoluble sheet clamping device traveling normally with the gage, means to actuate the clamping device to seize the sheet, and means to temporarily accelerate the speed of the clamping device to advance the sheet to the gage, the clamping device comprising a shoe movable toward and from the gage and a flipper hinged to the forward end of the shoe, mechanical means to approximately close the flipper, and electro -magnetic means to press the flipper upon the sheet to hold the latter against the shoe, the electromagnetic means comprising a magnet traveling with the shoe, a normally open electric circuit therefor, and circuit closing means arranged to be actuated by the revolving mechanism immediately after the closing of the flipper.

4. The combination of means for imparting front register to a sheet fed to a printing couple having grippers without interrupting the forward movement of the sheet, comprising a front gage mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers in a curved path into and out of the sheet path, a revoluble sheet clamping device traveling normally with the gage. means to actuate the clamping device to seize the sheet, and means to temporarily accelerate the speed of the clamping device to advance the sheet to the gage, the clamping device comprising a shoe movable toward and from the gage and a flipper hinged to the forward end of the shoe, mechanical means to approximately close the flipper, and electro-ma netic means to press the flipper upon the s eet to hold the latter against the shoe, the electro-magnetic means comprising a magnet traveling with the shoe, a normally open electric circuit therefor, and a circuitclosing. means arranged to be actuated by the revolving mechanism immediately after the closing of the flipper and including stationary contacts and revolving brushes arranged to wipe over said contacts.

5. The combination of means for imparting front register to a sheet fed to a printing couple having grippers without interrupting the forward movement of the sheet, and means forimparting side register to said sheet comprising a side gage mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers in a curved path to which the plane of the sheet path is tangent, a revoluble sheet clamping device traveling with the gage, means to actuate the clamping device to seize the side of the sheet, and means to move the clamping device laterally tobring the side of the sheet to the gage, the sheet clamping device comprising a shoe and electro-magnetic means to frictionally press the sheet against the shoe.

6. The combination of means for imparting front and side register to a sheet fed to a printing couple having grippers without interruptlng the forward movement of the sheet, comprising front gages mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers in a curved path into and out of the sheet path, a side gage mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers in a curved path to which the plane of the sheet path is tangent, revoluble sheet clamping devices traveling with the front and side gages, means to actuate the clamping devices to seize the sheet, means to temporarily accelerate the speed of the clamping devices of the front registering mechanism to advance the sheet to the gage, and means to shift the clamping devices of the side registering mechanism laterally to bring the sheet against the side gage, the sheet clampin devices comprising shoes revolubly mounte to move in an orbit corresponding substantially to those of the gages and also in said orbit toward and from the gages, a flipper hinged to the for-.

ward end of the shoe, and electro-magnetic means to press the flipper upon the sheet to hold the latter against the shoe.

7. The combination of means for imparting frontand side register to a sheet fed to a printing couple having grippers without interrupting the forward movement of the p sheet, comprising front gages mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers in a curved path into and out of the sheet path, a side gage mounted to revolve at the speed the front and side gages, means to actuate the clamping devices to seize the sheet, means to-temporarily accelerate the speed of the clamping devices of the front registering mechanism to advance the sheet to the gage, and means to shift the clamping devices of the side registering mechanism laterally to bring the sheet against the side gage, the sheet clamping devices comprisin shoes revolubly mounted to move in an orbit corresponding substantially to those of the gages and also in said orbit toward and from the gages, a flipper hinged to the forward end of each shoe, mechanical means to approximately close the flipper, and electro-magnetic means to press the flipper upon the sheet to hold the latter against the shoe.

8. The combination of means for imparting front and side register to a sheet fed to a printing couple having grippers without interrupting the forward movement of the sheet, comprising front gages mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers in a curved path into and out of the sheet path,

a side gage mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers in a curved path to which the plane of the sheet path is tangent, revoluble sheet clamping devices traveling with the front and side gages, means to actuate the clamping devices to seize the sheet, means to temporarily accelerate the speed of the clamping devices of the front registering mechanism to advance the sheet to the gage, and means to shift the clamping devices of the side registering mechanism laterally to bring the sheet against the side gage, the sheet clamping devices comprising shoes revolubly mounted to move in an orbit corresponding substantially to those of the gages and also in said orbit toward and from the gages, a

flipper hinged to the forward end of the shoe, and electro-magnetic means to press the flipper upon the sheet to hold the latter against the shoe, the electro-magnetic means comprising a magnet traveling with the shoe, a normally open electric circuit therefor, and circuit-closing means arranged to be actuated by the revolving mechanism immediately after the closing of the flipper.

9. The combination of means for imparting front and side register to a sheet fed to a printing couple having grippers without interrupting the forward movement of the sheet, comprising front gages mounted to revolve at the speed of' the grippers in a I curved path into and out of the sheet path,

a side gage mounted to revolve at the speed of the grippers ina curved path to which the plane of the sheet path is tangent,-revoluble sheet clamping devices traveling with the front and side gages, means to actuate the clamping devices to seize the sheet, means to temporarily accelerate the speed of the clamping devices of the front registering mechanism to advance the sheet to the gage, and means to shift the clamping devices of the side registering mechanism laterally to bring the sheet against the side gage, the sheet clamping devices comprising shoes revolubly mounted to move in an orbit correspondin substantially tov those of the gages and a so in said orbit toward and from the gages, a flipper hinged to the forward end of the shoe, and electro-magnetic means to press the flipper upon the sheet to hold the latter against the shoe, the electromagnetic means comprising a magnet traveling with the shoe, a normally open electric witnesses.

JOSEPH R. BLAINE.

Witnesses:

LEWIS T. GREIs'r, MILTON T. MILLER. 

